Land Rover Defender Fire & Ice
In the “off-road” world there are Soft-Roaders, 4x4's, off road specials and of course outright adventure vehicles. So what is an adventure vehicle? The one you pick when you “just got to get out there”. Service departments and nice mapped roads be damned.
Requirement one: Space. If he with the most toys wins in the end, then give me the space to put stuff. I bought all those cool outdoor gadgets, now give me somewhere to pack it all. Like on the roof. And I don't mean no plastic nerdy shell built for some accountants front wheel drive Saab. Remember Meccano? I want to bolt ‘’shit’’ on. Euro-Jap-smoothedoversqueezed- out–of-a-toothpaste tube designs don't really encourage this approach. And - heaven help us - what will happen to my service plan if I change the carpet, let alone drill a hole and put a bolt through it? Low range is not an option in this category.
It better be there and work well. It needs to be bullet proof or easy to fix. Lastly, in Africa, we need Diesel. So here I am testing the vehicle and I ask her, “the freeway or the old road?” This is easy, a unanimous decision. When the vehicle pleads with you, tugs you, urges you into adding offroad miles, and the thing has more places to attach things than you have things, buddy we ARE in a genuine adventure vehicle.
Being a long-time fan of Rand Lover - oops, Freudian slip - I mean Land Rover, I had to ask: have things changed? A Landy 110 that feels like its carved from solid steel? Can't be, you say. But wait, there 's more. It's a quiet Landy (relatively speaking) - one which allows most of the conversation to be heard at freeway speeds. In sixth gear!
A cool dash. The aircon actually works well enough to cool something other than just your knees this time round. The heater even needs to be turned down after a while!
Forward -facing rear seats that fold up so well that it is a thrill to demo them. A rear door that locks with the - wait for it - central locking I am in love all over again. Traction control systems are now in place with ABS. Not exactly EuroNCAP 5 star, but a looong way from its roots. My usual low-range, off-camber, ridiculously steep, slippery off-road challenge was passed with a mere shuffle of wheels rather than the predictable spinning flurry! Electric windows are now standard in front. The steering feel is solid if a little uncommunicative. Great off road, though.
Gravel roads are soaked up beautifully by the suspension and while not exactly in the sports car league, this one will get you to work unstressed and on time.
0-100 is now measured on a clock rather than a calendar. I travelled many unstressed, often potholed, kilometres in this machine and loved all of them. Not great if you plan at travelling much above the national speed limit, it can but won't let you.
Normally it takes the latest lowslung thing in red to be your mode of transport before you attract stares, but this two–tone, metallic burnt orange and black special Fire & Ice marvel was attracting more attention than anything since R8. The rest of the special edition's unique options are sueded seats and wait for it….
Heated seats! In a Landy.
I ask you jeeves, what will they think of next? This is a vehicle makes a statement about who you are or want to be with a deep voice that speaks clearly and quietly with Gravitas. It's is a car with History and Space for the Labrador.
